Supporting the critical role of the physician assistant profession and supporting the goals and ideals of National Physician Assistant Week.

Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

As an original sponsor of this resolution, I rise in support of House Resolution 1600, supporting the critical role of the physician assistant profession and supporting the goals and ideals of National Physician Assistant Week. I would also like to thank Congresswoman Betty McCollum of Minnesota for bringing to our attention the important services physician assistants provide and congratulate her for getting this resolution to the floor.

Physician assistants practice medicine under a physician's supervision. A PA's practice can include diagnostic, therapeutic, and preventive care. On any given day, a PA could prescribe medication, order and interpret x-rays, attend surgery, give advice to patients, and may also have supervisory responsibilities. A PA is supervised by a physician, but at facilities where the physician is present for only a few days each week, the PA may be a patient's principal health care provider. This increases the flexibility of the medical profession and ensures patients have access to quality care.

PAs in every State are required to pass the Physician Assistant National Certifying Examination. In order to take this exam, a candidate must be a graduate of an accredited PA program, which includes classroom, laboratory, and clinical training in several specialty areas. To maintain their certification, PAs must complete many hours of continuing medical education and a recertification examination. PAs are highly educated, highly trained, work extremely hard, and are a vital cog in our Nation's health care system. I hope all will join me in saluting our Nation's PAs for their commitment and dedication, and I urge your support for this resolution.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I have no further requests for time.

I would be remiss on a resolution recognizing PAs not to recognize my brother-in-law's brother, Val, Val Valgora. He passed away several years ago. He was a PA back in the seventies. I had never heard of a physician assistant before. Val was instrumental in the State of Nebraska in expanding the use of physician assistants. He worked with the University of Nebraska Medical Center and then on to LSU to help create and expand the educational component for PAs. So, at least in the State of Nebraska, Val Valgora is one of our legendary PAs.

I just wanted to thank him and take this opportunity to recognize his accomplishments for the State of Nebraska.

I yield back the balance of my time.

I would like to thank Chairman Waxman and I would like to thank Representative Pallone for their help with this bill, as well as my colleague on the other side of the aisle, Congressman Terry.

House Resolution 1600 acknowledges the critical role of physicians assistants by designating a week in 2010 as National Physician Assistant Week.

Forty years ago, the position of PA was created in response to a national health care workforce shortage. Over 20 years ago, I had the honor and the privilege in Minnesota of helping to write the rules for PAs to function and provide health care in Minnesota. I was the consumer member on the board, and I had a great learning curve working with doctors, PAs, hospitals, health care clinics, and patients from all over Minnesota in making sure that PAs were able to address this workforce shortage. And today, they continue to be an integral part of our health care system, practicing in all health care settings and specialties.

Physician assistant service will be vital as more Americans, our health care system and we prepare for an aging population--the baby boomers. PAs work, as has been mentioned, side

by side with physicians, nurses and other professionals in providing high-quality, cost-effective health care. They work in rural and underserved communities and ensure patients can receive the care that they need when they need it.

I want to thank the physicians assistants and the American Academy of Physician Assistants for all the work that they do to care for patients and to keep America healthy.

Lastly, I sincerely want to thank my colleagues for their bipartisan support so we could bring this bill forward.

Thank you to Chairman Waxman again for bringing this resolution.

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 1600) supporting the critical role of the physician assistant profession and supporting the goals and ideals of National Physician Assistant Week, as amended.

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material in the Record.

Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Madam Speaker, House Resolution 1600 recognizes the critical role of physician assistants in our health care system by designating October 6-12 of 2010 as National Physician Assistant Week.

Physician assistants, or PAs, practice in a collaborative setting with physicians, nurses, and other health care professionals to extend the reach of medical care to more patients. Their role helps patients have better access to high-quality medical care, particularly for underserved populations. Throughout the Nation, approximately 75,000 PAs provide high-quality and cost-effective care in various health settings. With the passage of health reform, millions of Americans will enter our health care system, and PAs will play a vital role in helping our healthcare workforce meet this challenge.

I want to applaud the leadership of Representative McCollum on this issue, and I would urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this resolution.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to the Congresswoman from Minnesota who is the sponsor of the bill, Ms. Betty McCollum.

Madam Speaker, I urge passage of the resolution, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to support H. Res. 1600 which expresses the sense of the House of Representatives regarding the terrorist attacks launched against the United States on September 11, 2001. I congratulate Majority Leader Hoyer and Minority Leader Boehner for their efforts on this important resolution.

The events of September 11, 2001 were a national tragedy. Over 3,000 innocent Americans died that day at the hands of international terrorists. in New York City, Washington, DC, and a field in Pennsylvania, Americans were directly confronted with acts of aggression on a scale and scope that our nation had never before seen. Our national consciousness was forever changed on that day as we all remember the losses we suffered and the horrific images of that day.

On the ninth anniversary of those events we must reflect and remember the victims and heroes of that tragic morning. I hope everyone takes some time to remember the nearly 3,000 American lives that were cut short that day and salute the firefighters, first responders and rescue workers who sacrificed their lives saving others.

For the victims, heroes and their families, let us never forget this fateful day, and let us refocus ourselves on what makes America unique and special in the world of nations--liberty and diversity, equality and the rule of law.

I urge my colleagues to join me in support of this resolution.